Please see amended question in NEW POST. My examples were scrambled thus I had to rewrite.
Hi Members,
After an entire day of trying to figure out the harmonic function of a Dominate 7th chord that is not in the key of composition, I now turn to this forum please. Thank you for taking my question.
Examples: two separate songs. Note: Lower case letters (below lyrics) are the vocal melody. The vocal melody does not make reference as to what octave the notes are sung but hopefully this alone is enough to aid in the composition aspect of why the chords in question were chosen. The upper case letters (above lyrics) are obviously the chords:
Song #1 – “Lyin’ Eyes” by The Eagles - Key of “G Major”
Chorus:
G C G Em Bm Am D
You can't hide your ly-in' eyes, and your sm---i—l--e is a thin disguise.
b d d d b a g b d e f# e d d d b a g a
G G7 C A7 Am D G
I thought by now you'd rea-l-----ize there ain't no way to hide those ly-ing eyes.
a b d d d b a g a g a a a a a b a g e g a
Song #2 – “Be Thou My Vision” – Irish Hymn - Key of “D Major” (chorus was added at some point in a different version).
Chorus:
G D G D
Light of my life, my Lord and my King, Dwell in my now, my heart longs to sing
d c# a b a b a f# a d c# a b a b a f# a
Bm E7 Em7 A D
Vic- to- ry won your rein is supreme, My eyes fixed on you My treasure my dream.
d c# a b a b a f# e e e d b d e e d b d
In song #1, the chords in question are G7 (G9 works as well) and A7 (A major works as well). I understand that the G7 chord is introducing the C major chord (the 5 chord (G7) wants to resolve to the 1 chord C major in the key of C). But still the G7 chord sounds good following the G major even-though G7 is not in the key of G major… why does this progression sound good? Perhaps there is some relation to the melody notes that make it work?
In song #2, the chord in question is E7. The E7 chord is not in the key of D major. Yet it sounds good after the Bm chord and also sounds good when the Em7 follows after the mentioned E7. I understand the E7 introduces the “A major” but there is the Em7 between the two. Why does this E7 chord sound good/acceptable?
Thank you kindly
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2017 02:03PM by Structure. (
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